Are you worried that your doctor or diabetes care team will chastise you for not meeting some of your goals?

Your diabetes care team is not there to judge, says the American Diabetes Association (ADA). They’re there to help you better control the disease. If you’re feeling uncomfortable going to your appointments and communicating honestly, keep these things in mind:

Your team wants to help.

If you’re having trouble meeting a certain goal, tell your diabetes team member specifically what you’re having trouble with. You may simply need to work together to set more realistic goals.

If members of your care team get mad at you, you have the right to ask why.

If a member of your team makes you feel so uncomfortable that you skip appointments or can’t ask for help, find other professionals who won’t judge or shame you.

It’s your life, says the ADA - you’re the one in control.

Reprinted from 101 Tips for Simplifying Diabetes by the University of New Mexico Diabetes Care Team. Copyright by the American Diabetes Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.